Highway 270 ends at this overlook, with green sea cliffs, small offshore islets, and a black-sand beach at the mouth of Pololū Valley below. A steep trail reaches the valley floor in about 25 minutes. Trail stewards staff the trailhead, and Protect Pololū ʻOhana, a group made up mostly of the valley's lineal descendants, leads volunteer upkeep.
Why we love it
The view from the lot alone is worth the drive past Hāwī. The hike down is a bonus if your knees are up for it.
What to expect
Highway 270 runs north from the Kohala Coast lava fields into green pastures and stops at a small parking area at the cliff edge. From the lookout you see Pololū’s sheer green walls, the northeastern coastline, small offshore islets, horses grazing on the hillside, and the black-sand beach at the valley mouth. The trail down to that beach takes about 25 minutes, and the climb back is the hard part. Trail stewards greet visitors at the trailhead. Pololū is a wahi pana, a storied place, and the stewards share why it matters to the families tied to it.
Know before you go
- Parking
- There are only about a dozen informal spaces, and people also park along the road, so come early or late. A DLNR plan, with a final environmental assessment in May 2025, would create 20 stalls with reservation parking for non-residents, but no start date has been announced.
- Trail stewards
- Stewards from DLNR’s Nā Manu ʻElele program staff the trailhead seven days a week, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Protect Pololū ʻOhana, a group made up mostly of the valley’s lineal descendants, leads volunteer upkeep.
- Trail
- The trail is steep and slippery when wet. Wear real shoes and save water for the climb back up.
- Water conditions
- Swimming at the beach below is discouraged because of strong currents.
- Closures
- DLNR sometimes closes the trail, lookout, and parking for community workdays. For example, it was closed 6 a.m.–2 p.m. on May 17, 2026, for the E Lei ʻO Pololū event.
Photo: zak11527 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
